Let There Be Lots of Cake

Earlier this week we celebrated Milton's 9th birthday. It's tradition in the Ginsberg family to let the kids decorate the cake. When we arrived, Pyper jumped in to help, but really only succeeded in just eating. 

Super focused on the task at hand. 

A good look at the baker (Aunt Lora), cupcakes before and after, and a steller "Wopper" Ying-yang cake. Earlier in the day Pyper was excited to have some company in the back seat, boys less than stoked. 

A look at taco dinner on the patio. 

Later that week, on Milton's actual birthday we had dinner, another cake, and then another cake, yup, on the same night. 

The first one was a Ginsberg cake, the second a fresh fruit Korean cake. 

A couple days later we headed back to the Ginsberg house to celebrate Cousin Alex's 18th birthday. Nice big family gathering to celebrate a milestone. 

A Ginsberg cake, cream puffs, krispy kremes, cupcakes, and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies to finish off dinner. And me with the birthday boy. 

Having lost her privilege to eat treats today, Pyper was eager to fill her belly with treats from the garden. 

Picking ripe tomatoes for the appetizer plate.  

Pyper getting her share of the good stuff. 

Andy showed great restraint on the treat front, Milton slid Pyper a cream puff not knowing she was banned, I managed to eat two puffs. When offered a cupcake, Pyper told Aunt Lora that her mom said she could not have any. Good girl!

If you are wondering, she was banned from cake at the party because she slapped me in the face after we had just discussed good behavior for the party. 

Evergreen State Fair: A Yearly Tradition

The Evergreen State Fair is small and quaint in the little town of Monroe, WA. This is our second year going, so it's tradition in my mind, at least for now.  

This year we took a picture at the end of the day. It was a hot one.

Last year we took a photo first thing, and we had a nice little cloud layer to keep us cool.

Pyper pulls off the Farmer Jane look pretty well.

Wood fired pizza and fries, nothing like  fair food once a year.

Pyper's first "ride" on the Merry-go-round. The horse she wanted got scooped, so she picked the sleigh, and was completely content. She's officially over 32".

Tomas picked the Hare to ride upon.

The Young'uns had it out for 10 minutes in the car, then cooled off. Pyper was yelling for a toy we put away because they could not share, Tomas yelling because Pyper was too loud. A little book, a little music, down goes Pyper for the afternoon. I

48 Hour Daddy Stretches

One negative thing that came with the move back home is lack of Daddy presence due to a high training load. This has been a tough month, but in all honestly, we would probably see him less if we were just visiting Seattle. I guess it's not too bad for this time of year. One more week in Portland and training will move to Seattle, then we will see Daddy more. 

Love it when we are all together.

Cougar Mountain "Stick" Walk. Okay, it's always a stick walk. 

Working out the moves to get to the top, or at least the side, of the mountain. 

During our 48 hours, we always manage to get in some negetive ions (nature time) by means of a hike. Other than that, it's study time for Andy with the occasional break for a meal. It's nice having our Pacific Northwest woods again. Yes we have the occasional prickly thing or stinging thing, but most of the time you can avoid it.

BBQ time with a "thumbs up-shooting star" move. Check out that tongue working. 

Just like her Daddy! Brunch at the Country Club. 

Coming and going...the anticipation of seeing Daddy, and big girls don't need to say good-bye. 

Block Party 2014

Did you know last Saturday was International Geocaching Day? Well it was, and there is a huge block party every year in Fremont in front of GroundSpeak Headquarters to celebrate. GroundSpeak is the name of the company that runs all things geocaching. We came last year, were completely overwhelmed, but decided to give it another go. 

Me posing as "Signal" the frog, Pyper taking my picture because she didn't want to be Signal. I'm on hands and knees trying to get low enough to get my head through. 

Hanging out with the real/fake Signal is always fun. Pyper exploring the rocketship shaped bouncy house, and coloring her hat that also features Signal. 

On a tour with new friends. Jenna making sure Pyper is cared for and having fun all morning. Great having a Mama helper. 

After finishing the block party tour, we claimed our prizes. Pyper doing a celebratory dance with her prize. 

Us signing and sticking our name onto the official logbook for the event. 

Quirky Seattle

Finally, a cool misty day in Seattle, it feels like home, and it feels heavenly. In good fashion we are without any rain gear, but having fun nonetheless. 

Up to the Capital Hill Neighborhood to tromp around Volunteer Park. Lots to see and do.  As well as some quirky Seattle landmarks to check off the list as well. 

After watching a couple take pictures in front of the "Black Hole Sun," Pyper was quick to scramble up to the platform and get hers taken as well. Not quirky, but iconic. 

The Water Tower. I use to come here and climb around this thing when I was in college. Hanging out and spotting new friends at the top. 

Paying our respects to the late Bruce Lee and Branden Lee. Jimmy Hendrix is also laid to rest in the same cemetery. 

A Seattling We Will Go

Beautiful Kerry Park Overlook in Queen Anne.  

Haha, only in the name of geocaching will one trek from Chinatown, all the way to Queen Anne, while toting a two year old in and out of a stroller, up and down Seattle streets. 

Appropriately named, we started the "Seattle Tour" bright and early by taking the bus to the International District. The Seattle tour is another variant of geocaching where the cacher looks for prominent Seattle icons. There is a "code word" to find at each location to claim the "smiley face" icon, indicating that the landmark is found.  We had a ton of fun!

Our icons for the day, plus a couple. If you map the Northern most icon to the Southern most icon, it's route is calculated at 3.1 miles. Add the to and from of all the other icons and that's a lot of city walking. 

At the Dragon Gate in the International District (look at those big feet!) Not so happy after missing a bubble and falling at Story time at the Seattle Public Library. Storytime was an added bonus we stumbled into while claiming a smiley face, win-win!

SAM, Seattle Art Museum. Not hard finding the "big man with a hammer." Not hard finding the "code" numbers either. 

At the Market, at the Market, to buy a... fat piece of salmon "candy." Gum Wall is really that gross! Gum Wall is actually part of the "Quirky Seattle Tour" we were also tagging onto today.  

Pyper's Market Pictures.  

Miner's Landing at the pier was fun, unless you are a crab in a pot today. 

Fell asleep watching a train pass by on the way to the Olympic Sculpture Park. Nap time continued into The Center House at Seattle Center, while I tried to find a quiet corner to rest.  Back up and ready to splash in a kiddy pool as we exit the grounds. 

Making friends everywhere, not afraid to pose in someone else's photo. At the Changing Forms sculpture at Kerry Park. 

The two bus rides home took a liitle over an hour during rush hour, but got us back home in time for a neighborhood BBQ. There was music too. Yup she still had the energy to rock on. 

Pyper and Pa Pa enjoying a hotdog together and Pyper showing off her moves. 

All in a good day of play!!! Sleep little one sleep. 

Portraits of Uncle Clay

Pyper has always been interested in drawing. I think she started drawing at our Bailey Creek home, so a little after her one year old birthday. Last night something came together in her little expanding brain of hers. She said she wanted to draw Uncle Clay. I initiated the drawing with a circle, and the rest was all her. She made two, I like how they look different!

Added the photo for reference, though Pyper was working from memory. And Clay isn't really a true uncle, but he's known Pyper all her life.

Uncle Jake Rhythms

Nothing like drums that don't make the neighbors cringe. As an added bonus, last November we added a very musically talented Uncle to this otherwise rhythmless family. Since Pyper is very sing-songy herself, it's no wonder these two get along so well. Jake plays drums, guitar, bass... I'm probably missing a couple other instruments. 

Great having a musical instructor nearby, now I don't have to look for one. I think she'll get more out of playing, by just playing. She even sang her goodbye upon leaving. 

Jamming!!!

Flying stick hand up teaching Pyper a four count. 

Of course music lessons are never free. Pyper gave Uncle Jake swim lessons first as a trade. She first showed him where his pool was, how to gain a keyless entry, the fine details of a good float, and of course how to relax and warm one's self like a lizard. 

Pyper knows her way around a pool like Jake knows music. 

New and Old Bumps & Bruises

When Pyper plays with kids just a bit older than herself, maybe 3+ years old, I can't help but notice all the shin bruises on their legs, as well as the face and arm scrapes. But all of a sudden, little bruises have magically appeared all over her legs, and we also seem to be going through the band aids with incredible speed. She's definitely kicked up the adventurous notch and wants to climb up everything and jump off, sometimes asking to get a spot for a handstand on a high wall too.  

So as she gets older, she's discovering the pains of getting hurt. Unfortunately she's also experimenting with giving pains too. This week she has been playing the part of the bully to kids young and old with no discretion. It's been frustrating, to say the least. I try to warn her, stop her before the action, but I can't catch it all and we usually need to leave the area immediately for everyone's protection. 

I'm sure the stresses of the last couple weeks aren't helping her emotionally. It was an incredibly swift uprooting from most of the things she's ever known in her short life. I'm just grateful we have visited Seattle often enough that she's familiar with the people and place. I know time is going to be our biggest ally as she gets use to her new living situation and everything that goes along with it.

So getting older, at Pyper's age, means learning how the body heals itself and how to take care of it. When your 80 years older than that, you start to discover how inefficient the body becomes at that skill and just try to ease the pain. Grandpa and I talk more and more about his ailments. Everyday he brews a Chinese feel-better-skin concoction. He's seen 7 or 8 different doctors, all of which can't seem to figure out what is going on with his body. The only thing that seems to help are the old standby Chinese herbal tonics. He talks about how western medicine isn't aggressive enough. They don't know anything, and they don't help. If he was in China, it would take time, but he would be better. I may be lost in translation, but I think the hardening if his arteries is causing some pretty big issues, including but not limited to, his ability to walk now. 

Pyper and Gong Gong comparing scrapes and bruises one night in the kitchen. 

All Things Bellevue

Stick magic at the park. 

There's something nice about the familiar, but even that changes too. When I was growing up in Bellevue, the tallest building in town was my friend's mom's work building that sits next to the bus transfer station. Now there is a Bellevue Skyline that changes with each passing day. The view of Seattle we have now will be gone shortly, I'm sure, as new construction has begun in that direction. Pyper however, is enjoying the construction "toys" moving the dirt around. We watch them everyday do their work. 

We picked blueberries just down the road today, you pick $1.50 a pound. It's a historical blueberry field that is butted up between downtown and the water. It's pleasantly close and far away at the same time. The area is run by the City of Bellevue and is too swampy to build upon, thank goodness. We even picked blackberries along the trail as well. Can't stop a two year old from trying a crab apple if she finds one in her path. 

Perfect time of year as blueberries and blackberries come into season, followed by apples in the fall, or now. 

Last Friday was "free day" at the Art Museum. Teaching kids to not touch the art is harder when they are older...though now she can actually make art which is a plus. 

Paper Art is the theme at the museum right now. We made a pin wheel, which might be right where we left it, and then a couple things for Daddy. 

And of course the farmer's market is a stone's throw away now. We thought we lived close to the market in Greenville; I bet we can be there in less than 100 steps door to first stall. I'll make that my own personal challenge.  

Yumminess happening right now!!! Hitting up the Farmer's Market just like we use to with Katy and Tomas! We've been doing that for two years now. Also check out Katy's tiny baby bump. 

A Blue Angel Homecoming

It doesn't quite feel like home till the roar of Blue Angels greets you for SeaFair weekend. Pyper enjoyed her first real view of this amazing flying team this year.  No, I don't have any great pictures, but you might be able to make out a dot or five, if you look closely in the sky. We parked ourselves at Lid Park on Mercer Island, so we had a spectacular view, comfy grass seating, and playground entertainment for the slow moments of the air show. I think this is the first time in my life as a Seattleite to go out of my way to actually see the Blue Angels, and it definitely will not be the last. It's not because I don't enjoy watching them, but you can see them fly everyday they are in town from almost anywhere in a 10 mile radius.

Watching the Blue Angels from Lid Park

During all the Blue Angel commotion, Andy made it into town after driving 2,919 miles in over 77 hours. He was hammered when he finally pulled in. We decided to save the moving part for the morning. 

Andy loaded up in Greenville ready to hit the road, resting hammock style in and out of the truck, and the final stretch home with Mount Stuart on the horizon. 

While we unpacked, Auntie Eileen helped us watch Pyper. A trip to the park was a hit and the Top Pot donut mission was a failure and success. 

Enjoying our new home view. 

Within 24 hours, we managed to get the move behind us, at least into a storage unit. Unfortunately we also has to say good-bye to Daddy for the week as we dropped him off at the airport for this week's training.